From globally renowned names to rising local talent, Bristol’s music scene continues to thrive in 2025. This list spotlights the city’s standout artists—those shaping stages at Glastonbury, Boomtown, and Shambala, releasing fresh albums and EPs, and keeping Bristol’s reputation as one of the UK’s most creative music hubs alive.

Squid

Summary: Experimental post-punk/art-rock band rooted in Bristol’s Windmill scene. Known for boundary-pushing sound.

2025 Highlight: Released their critically acclaimed third studio album, Cowards, on 7 February 2025.

Heavy Lungs

Summary: High-energy noise-rock/post-punk group from Bristol. Their visceral performances are central to Bristol’s indie scene.

2025 Highlight: Dropped their second studio album, Caviar, marking an evolution in sound.

A Little Sound

Summary: Drum & bass vocalist and TikTok sensation Abigail Kate Morgan, emerging as a key voice in DnB.

2025 Highlight: Part of the Loud LDN collective; continues rising through awards—especially those in 2024 for Best Vocalist & Female DJ and carries momentum into 2025.

Elles Bailey

Summary: Award-winning blues-rock/Americana singer-songwriter and pianist, and a radio presenter.

2025 Highlight: Supporting Rag’n’Bone Man on his UK summer tour; her 2024 album Beneath the Neon Glow continues to solidify her reputation.

Quade

Summary: Genre-defying quartet blending folk, ambient, doom, and jazz to craft immersive sonic narratives.

2025 Highlight: Released their second album, The Foel Tower, garnering acclaim for its emotional depth and experimental structure.

Mallavora

Summary: Bristol-based alt-metal band known for dynamic, socially conscious music.

2025 Highlight: Riding a wave of recognition after their Origins EP and viral single “Skin” in 2023; still in public eye through festival circuits and TikTok buzz.

Split Chain

Summary: A nu-gaze / nu-metal outfit carving a sharp niche in Bristol's rock landscape.

2025 Highlight: Gaining recognition in alt-metal circles; noted by Kerrang! and Alternative Press as “nu-gaze upstarts you need".

Mount Kimble

Summary: Electronic innovators from Bristol who blend ambient, house, and club textures.

2025 Highlight: Delivered a highly praised live set at Forwards Festival, bringing immersive electronic sound to the festival crowd. The Sunset Violent live album released in 2025.

The Pavilion

Summary: Bristol-based alt-indie rock band known for raw, anthemic energy. In 2025 they released their EP Faces In The Crowd (Aug).

2025 Highlight: EP Faces In The Crowd + EP launch show (30 Aug, The Louisiana).

Superseed

Summary: Five-piece rock band from Bristol, formed in 2017 after years of playing in different local outfits. Their music draws on hard rock, stoner, grunge, garage, punk, and classic rock influences.

2025 Highlight: eleased second full-length album Tremor on 1 August 2025.

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Massive Attack

Summary: Bristol’s trip-hop pioneers from 1988, Massive Attack fused hip-hop, dub, soul, and electronic atmospheres. Their debut Blue Lines (1991) is widely acknowledged as the first trip-hop album, helping define the city’s musical legacy.

Highlight: Their single “Unfinished Sympathy” became a European hit and was later named one of the greatest songs of all time by NME.

Portishead

Summary: Formed in 1991, Portishead became renowned for their haunting vocals, cinematic textures, and analog sampling. They are central figures in shaping the trip-hop genre alongside Massive Attack.

Highlight: Their debut album Dummy won the Mercury Prize and remains one of the most influential British electronic albums.

Tricky

Summary: A genre-defying artist whose solo work blended rap, soul, rock, and electronic experimentation, shaping the darker edge of the trip-hop movement.

Highlight: His debut solo album Maxinquaye became a critically acclaimed landmark in UK alternative music.

Roni Size

Summary: A drum & bass innovator who brought Bristol’s underground rave culture to global prominence. Leading Reprazent, he showcased the city’s forward-thinking electronic scene to the world.

Highlight: The album New Forms won the Mercury Prize and established drum & bass as a major UK genre.

Idles

Summary: Bristol’s politically outspoken post-punk band, celebrated for raw energy, confrontational lyrics, and passionate live performances.

Highlight: Their albums Joy as an Act of Resistance and Ultra Mono received Mercury Prize nominations and international acclaim.

Smith & Mighty

Summary: Innovators who blended reggae, dub, and breakbeats, laying the foundation for both jungle and trip-hop. They are often credited with creating the roots of the Bristol sound.

Highlight: Produced early Massive Attack tracks and set the blueprint for the city’s bass-driven identity.

Eats Everything

Summary: An internationally respected Bristol DJ and producer who has become one of the biggest names in house and techno.

Highlight: Breakthrough single “Entrance Song” propelled him to residencies, festivals, and global recognition.

Julio Bashmore

Summary: A Bristol-born house producer credited with reshaping UK dance music in the 2010s, blending soulful grooves with club-driven beats.

Highlight: His single “Battle for Middle You” and the album Knockin’ Boots cemented his influence on modern house music.

My Nu Leng

Summary: Bristol-based electronic duo best known for their heavy, bass-driven blends of garage, grime, dubstep, and house.

Highlight: Celebrating over ten years together with new singles and a run of festival sets, including appearances at Boomtown and Shambala, keeping their reputation as Bristol’s premier bass duo alive.